Work in the scorching heat in Ticino: Government opens new measures for workers (cross-border guide)

Context

In a nutshell

• Over 100 admissions to the emergency room due to the effects of heat on workers
• UNIA, OCST, USS and VPOD trade unions met with the Council of State
• Concerned government opens up new measures to deal with cannibal waves
• Discussed intervention models based on scientific thresholds as in the Canton of Valais

Key facts

• What: Meeting between trade unions and the Council of State on working conditions during the cannibal waves
• When: Today (date not specified in source)
• Where: Ticino
• Who: Representatives of the UNIA, OCST, USS and VPOD trade unions and delegation of the Council of State (Marina Carobbio Guscetti, Christian Vitta, Raffaele De Rosa)
• Amount: Not specified in the source

More than one hundred admissions to the emergency room and dozens of unsustainable situations, from construction sites to kitchen work, were reported by the UNIA, OCST, USS and VPOD unions during the meeting with the State Council. The regional secretary of UNIA Giangiorgio Gargantini explained that they have again reported the numerous problematic situations they have witnessed, underlining the need to have concrete and effective measures to be discussed in depth on the model of what has been done, for example, by the authority of the Canton of Valais, where the thresholds above which action is taken have been determined (with scientific indices). These thresholds are different for different professional realities.

Evaristo Roncelli, Project Manager

Operational details

In a nutshell

• The Valais Canton model uses scientific indices to determine intervention thresholds
• The intervention thresholds vary depending on the professional reality
• The start time of works in the municipal regulations is a critical point for the summer
• The problem of heat stroke is now considered structural and no longer occasional

Key facts

• What: Analysis of the practical implications of the proposals discussed between trade unions and the Government
• When: Looking ahead to next summer
• Where: Ticino municipal regulations and workplaces exposed to heat
• Who: Workers exposed to the sun, particularly in sectors such as construction and catering
• Amount: Not specified in the source

The proposals that emerged from the meeting between trade unions and the Council of State have several practical implications for workers in Ticino, including border workers working in sectors particularly exposed to heat. The proposed model, inspired by the Canton of Valais, involves the use of scientific indices to determine specific thresholds beyond which intervention obligations are triggered. These thresholds are not unique but vary depending on the professional reality: what is considered risky for a construction worker may not be so for an office worker, and vice versa for those who work in closed but hot environments such as kitchens or laundries.

A critical aspect concerns the work start times provided for by municipal regulations. As explained by Evaristo Roncelli of OCST,

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

In a nutshell

• Report risk situations to UNIA, OCST, USS or VPOD unions
• Participate in meetings of the Health and Environment Task Force (GOSA)
• Check the municipal regulations on the start time of work in your municipality
• Prepare for measures that could come into force as early as next year

Key facts

• What: Concrete actions that workers can take in response to the proposals discussed
• When: Right away, ahead of next summer
• Where: In the workplace, at trade unions and municipal offices
• Who: Ticino and border workers employed in sectors exposed to heat
• Amount: Not specified in the source

For workers in Ticino, including border workers working in sectors particularly exposed to heat, there are several concrete steps that can be taken right now. The first is the active reporting of situations that are considered to be at risk. As pointed out by Evaristo Roncelli of OCST, many workers do not know how to independently assess whether the conditions they are experiencing constitute a real health hazard. Reporting these situations to trade unions (UNIA, OCST, USS or VPOD) allows to build a detailed picture of the problems on the territory, essential to justify targeted interventions.

Another important action is the participation in the meetings planned by the Health and Environment Task Force (GOSA). This body, created specifically to deepen the subject,

First day as a cross-border worker? Our practical guide walks you from cantonal registration to your first paycheck.

Source: ticinonews.ch